


Belong

by Aw_You_Think_Im_Hot



Category: Sanders Sides, logicality - Fandom, prinxiety - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Logan Sanders - Freeform, M/M, Patton Sanders - Freeform, Prinxiety - Freeform, Roman Sanders - Freeform, Sanders Sides - Freeform, Virgil Sanders - Freeform, logicality - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 21:50:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14941994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aw_You_Think_Im_Hot/pseuds/Aw_You_Think_Im_Hot
Summary: Virgil Underwood isn't what most would call a 'social butterfly'. In fact, he's the total opposite. He prefers sitting in the sidelines, invisible and away from the crowds. He just wants to be left alone, unnoticed, without the drama of social interactions. All he needs is himself and his music. He doesn't care about anything, or anyone, besides himself, and can't be bothered to care about what others think about him... right?**I do not own the Sanders Sides characters ( Virgil, Roman, Patton, Logan, Deceit ), they belong to the amazing Thomas Sanders****This fic was inspired by this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvPJaiL58gg **





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TW: mention of bullying/name calling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mention of bullying/ name calling, anxiety

He sat at the back of every class, alone and away from all the drama, just the way he liked it. At least, that's what he tells himself. Convincing yourself you enjoy being alone and ignored is the easiest way to deal with it, otherwise the loneliness can really take a toll on oneself. No one truly enjoys being alone, ridiculed, and cast aside to watch others enjoy life.

For Virgil Underwood, this is normal. He doesn't have friends, and ever has. Probably never will. He's too  _weird_ for friends.

So, he stays in the sidelines, watching, instead of doing. The others at school avoid him, if he's lucky. The ones that don't ignore, torment. They call him names, trip him in the halls, and knock his stuff out of his hands. However, the ones who ignore aren't completely innocent either. He isn't always playing music on those big headphones he keeps around his neck or on his head, a lot of the time he just has them their for a sense of comfort. The others don't know that, though. He can hear the whispers as he walks through the halls, when they think he can't hear because of the headphones over his ears. He hears the rumors and names spoken about him.

_"Freak"_

_"Emo"_

_"Loser"_

_"Outcast"_

_"Weirdo"_

He hears them all, but can't always distinguish them from the words spoken in his head. No, he's not crazy or schizophrenic, he just has a mean voice whispering all the mean names and rumors back to him in his head. This voice has been with since as long as he can remember, and is the reason he can't speak to others without nearly having a panic attack. You see, Virgil has anxiety. The severe kind that requires a prescription to somewhat function properly.

Most people don't understand anxiety, though. They don't understand how it works. Yes, everyone has a bit of anxiety in them. It's what keeps them from doing stuff that could them. However, everyone's anxiety is different. Some people can still doing something dangerous, as long as they have something to lessen the chance of death, but others may not be able to leave their house do to the fear of going outside. Of course, there are all kinds of people in-between, all with varying degrees of anxiety.

Virgil is more on the severe side than the average person.

Sure, he'd love to have some friends, someone to hang out with and share his problems, hopes and dreams with. But, every time he thinks about being close to someone, the voice reappears, whispering negatives and 'what ifs'.

_"What if they leave?"_

_"What if they don't really like you?"_

_"What if they tell everyone all your secrets?"_

_"What if they're just using you?"_

This causes him to push people away, until he has no one left. Until he's alone.

Not everyone in the school is totally mean, though. There are a few people he wishes he could befriend. Four, to be exact. The 'Cool Kids", as he likes to call them. Sure, there are other popular people, but these four are 'cool' because they don't care if they're popular or liked, they don't care what others think. These four have never said a mean thing towards Virgil, although, that's probably because they've never noticed him. 

Virgil wishes he could be one of them, or at least, be like them. He wishes he could just be without a worry or care in the world. He wishes he could be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: bullying, mention of violence, anxiety, insecurity

**Chapter 1:**   

"Hey, Freak!" Someone yells from behind me. I turn just in time to have something wet and hot hit my chest, before a car zooms past carrying the sound of laughter with it. With a curse, I look down to see a huge wet spot on my shirt, quickly pulling the material away from my chest to relieve the burn of, what I'm assuming is, coffee. Luckily, I'm wearing a black t-shirt and the coffee missed my favorite purple and black jacket. Unluckily, I don't have time to go back home and change before school. A perfect start to a perfect Monday.

_**"It's not like you have a reputation to keep."** _

With a sigh, I zip my jacket the rest of the way up, adjust the back pack on my shoulder, and head the rest of the way to school. Or, as I like to call it, my own personal Hell.

Oh, I should probably introduce myself, right? My name is Virgil Underwood. But, if you asked any of my schoolmates, you'd probably be answered with something along the lines of 'freak' or 'loser'. You see, I'm not exactly 'liked' here. Anyway, I have light brown haired that is dyed purple, with darker purple streaks throughout it, and lavender eyes. I know, it's a pretty rare eye color, but I wish it was something normal, like brown, because then I'd have one less thing to worry about being teased for. I'm about five feet and eleven inches tall with a slim build. I keep my bangs a bit longer, so they can cover my eyes, and wear black eye shadow smudged beneath my eyes to cover the real dark circles under them from lack of sleep. I'm extremely pale, and my usual dark clothing choices just make me appear paler. 

_**"And you wonder why they call you an emo freak."** _

I sigh, again, and pull my large headphones onto my head and over my ears as I see the school coming into view up ahead. I decide not to actually play any music through them, and just let them give me the usual sense of security I receive from them.

"Just one more year, Virgil." I whisper to myself as I approach the front entrance. "Just one more year."

With that, I push open the door and enter Hell, better known as Oakford High School. Keeping my head down, I head in the direction of my locker, trying to avoid gaining a lot of attention. If I'm lucky, no one will try to talk to me, leaving to myself.

I can see them students parting to the sides, trying to avoid touching the freak, and can hear them whispering about me, assuming I can't hear them because of the headphones. With the whispers, are the glances. They all could really use some lessons in being inconspicuous and secretive. The stares start getting to me, raising my anxiety to higher-than-usual levels, and making me feel nauseous and self-conscious. I pull my hood over my head and tug my sleeves further over my hands, trying to keep my breathing steady.

_"What a freak! I heard he kicks puppies for fun."_

_"I heard he likes to throw kittens off building to see if they land on their feet."_

_"He probably worships Satan or something."_

_"I heard his parents make him sleep in the basement."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because he tried to kill his brother or something, and they don't trust him."_

_"Man, what psycho!"_

I finally reach my locker, looking down at the ground, and fighting the tears back from falling. I want to yell at them that none of that is true, but they would never believe me. 

**_"They think you're a monster. You'll never belong, never be happy, so why try?"_ **

With another sigh, I close my locker and head to my first class, avoiding the eyes of everyone I pass. Hopefully today passes quickly, quietly, and without any problems.

**_"Ha! Like you could be that lucky."_ **

 

************

 

It's now time for lunch, meaning the day is halfway done. So, I haven't really had any problems, aside from the usual whispers and glances, which is a great accomplishment for me. Although, it most likely has to do with it being the first day back from summer break, so everyone is too busy catching up with their friends. By tomorrow, they'll be back to tormenting me. I pull my hood up higher after I finish dropping my stuff off in my locker, and make my way towards the doors leading yo the outside patio.

The patio is where students can eat their lunch outside, if they want to. Most people choose to stay indoors for lunch, though, since there are only a couple of actual tables to sit at. I, however, always eat lunch outside, unless the weather is too gross to do so. I enjoy the fresh air and peace of sitting outside under the big Maple tree. It just makes it better that no one else wants to eat outside, meaning more peace for me.

Holding the brown paper bag containing my lunch, I take my usual seat at the table under the tree. I open the lunch to see my mom packed my favorite, a peanut butter and Crofter's Jelly sandwich, an apple, and a bottle of water. I know, not much of a lunch, but it's plenty for me. If I eat more, especially at school, I face this risk of throwing it back up if I have anxiety attack. I sound paranoid, but it's actually happened before, and that just caused even more rumors to be spread about me.

As I munch on my sandwich, I glance through  the window of the cafeteria. I can see all the other students, sitting and chatting with their friends. I would give anything to have at least one friend. Just someone to laugh and smile with.

I sigh, probably for the millionth time just today, and finish my lunch before pulling my headphones over my ears. Throwing my trash away in the trashcan by the doors, I re-enter the school and head for my locker to get the stuff needed for the est of the day.

_'Three more classes and then I can go home.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: anxiety, mention of anxiety attack, anxiety attack, self deprecating thoughts

**Chapter 2:**

I've survived most of the day so far. I'm on my way to my second to last class, and have managed to avoid everyone and having an anxiety attack. The day really hasn't been as bad as it could have been. I can handle the whispers if it means no one directly bothers me. Just as I'm about to turn the next corner, I hear voice speaking. It doesn't sound like a casual conversation, based on the tones of the voices speaking, so I stop walking to listen and make sure I'm not about to walk into an ambush. Don't judge me, it's happened before.

"What do we do?!" One of the voices asks, sounding kind of frantic.

"I don't know, Lo is the smart one!" A second voice replies, also sounding frantic.

"Lo? What do you think is wrong?!" The first voice speaks up again, the time to whoever 'Lo' is, I'm assuming.

"I believe Thomas is having an anxiety attack." A third voice speaks up. I softly gasp, realizing I'm listening to the 'cool kids'. My eyes widen even further once I realize what they are discussing. "However, I do not know how to deal with this in an effective way."

Should I help them? Thomas is having an anxiety attack and they don't know what to do. However, I do.

**_"They'll still hate you."_ **

_'This isn't about me, though. This is about helping someone else.'_

Deciding to ignore the negative voice, I leave my hiding spot and make my way towards the group. Once around the corner, I can see Thomas on the floor, clearly in the midst of an anxiety attack, with Roman, Patton, and Logan standing around him, looking very concerned and panicked. I take a deep breath, and slowly approach them. They don't spot me, too panicked to notice little ol' me, until I'm close enough to squat in front of Thomas. Squatting down, I cautiously reach out towards Thomas, stopping just before touching his shoulder.

"Thomas? I'm going to touch you, is that okay? Nod if you can hear me." I ask calmly and wait for a response. After a pause, Thomas nods shakily, and I gently place my hand on his shoulder. "Okay, good. Now, just focus on my voice. Can you do that?"

"Hey, what are-" Roman begins to say, before Patton interrupts him.

"Wait, Roman, I think he's tying to help." Ignoring them, I focus on Thomas, who nods to answer my previous question.

"Good, now I want you to try and match your breathing to mine." I tell him, placing his hand over my chest. "Deep breaths. In, and out."

I take deep breaths as I speak, so he has something to feel and match his breathing to.

"I need you to tell me three things you can feel, can you do that?" I ask, making sure to keep my voice level and calm.

"Th-the floor.. y-your heartbeat.. and th-the lockers.." He tells me shakily. Although his voice wavers, I can tell his breathing is stating to slow down.

"Perfect, you're doing great. Now, tell me five things you can see." I tell him. he pries his eyes open, and looks around before naming off things.

"Um.. I-I can see Patton's g-glasses.. L-Logan's tie, y-your headphones... Roman's jacket, and my hands." As he speaks, his voice becomes noticeably steadier, until it's almost back to normal.

"Great, Thomas. Now, how are you feeling?" I ask him, as I notice his breathing is almost back to normal.

"Much better. Th-thank you." He says. I just give him a small smile and stand up, ready to leave. I offer Thomas a hand, helping him up, and turning around once he's on his feet once more. I go to take a step away, only to be stopped by the voice of Patton.

"Wait! Thank you, so much, Kiddo." He says, causing my face to heat up. I turn back to face him, but keep my head down.

"Um.. n-no problem." I can feel my face heat up even more and mentally curse myself for stuttering. I just have to screw up even the smallest of things, and now they're gonna think I'm even weirder. Great.

"How did you know what to do?" This time it's Roman that speaks, causing me to blush even brighter. It's a good thing I have my hood up, or they'd be able to see how red my face is right now. I'm not used to so much social interaction in one day. At least, not so much positive social interaction.

**_"Don't tell them how you know. Don't tell them what's wrong with you, they'll just think you're crazy on top of weird."_ **

"Um.. I-I have to go to um.. c-class." Before they can say anything else, I turn on my heels and dart down the hall.

"Wait!" I can't tell who says it, but it's too late, I'm already going around the next turn in the hallway.

I rush to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me, and take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves before I have my own anxiety attack. Why did I run off like that? Now, they'll think I'm some kid of freak, or something.

**_"Do you really think they thought any better of you before you helped? They probably think you were following them or stalking them."_ **

_'But, I wasn't!'_

**_"They don't know that. God, you're such a freak!"_ **

I'm so immersed in my thoughts, I jump when the bell rings, bringing me out of my mind. Checking the time on my phone, I realize the day is over.

_'How long was I there with them?'_

Sighing, I check myself in the mirror, only to discover my eyes are red and puffy and my eye shadow is smudged, due to the teas streaming down my face. I dry my eyes quickly and fix my eye shadow as best I can, before pulling my hood high up over my head and my headphones over my ears and exiting the bathroom.

I check to make sure no one is looking, and quickly rush to my locker after confirming the coast is clear. with my head down the entire way, I reach my locker and exchange my stuff for what I need to take home, then exit the school and start on my walk home. Wanting to tune the world out, I decide to actually play music through my headphones. I pull out my phone and scroll through my music, finally choosing to play  _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_  by Green Day.

_'How fitting.'_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: none

**Chapter 3:**

I unlock the front door of my house, using the house key I had to dig out of the front pocket of my backpack. I've finally made it home from school after what felt like walking for an eternity, but was actually only about ten minutes. I was busy dwelling on what happened earlier, thinking about everything I did wrong, causing the walk to feel longer. I unlock the door and push it open, entering the house.

I toss my backpack onto the couch on my way to the kitchen to gab a drink from the fridge. Before opening the fridge, I notice a note stuck to the front with a fruit shaped magnet. I pull out a can of cola and open it, taking a sip before reading the note.

_Virgil,_

_I took Damien to soccer practice and we will be back in a couple of hours. Could you please load the dishwasher and start it please? Also, I left a load of laundry in the washing machine, please start it for me, I'll switch it to the dryer once I get home. Thank you._

_I love you, Sweetie,_

_Mom_

Taking another drink of my soda, I throw the note into the trash and start on the chores. Most teenagers would get an attitude about doing chores for their parents, but I rally don't mind. My mom does so much for my little brother and I, so it's the least I could do to load the dishwasher or start the washer. I pull my headphones over my ears, turn my music list on shuffle, and get to work. I smile at the first song to play,  _Why Do You Feel So Down?_  by Declan McKenna. I know it's not as 'emo' as most people would expect a song I liked to be, but I really do like it. 

 

***********

An hour later, I've loaded, started, and unloaded the dishwasher, I've washed and dried the laundry, and I've swept and mopped the kitchen and vacuumed the living room. At the moment, I'm finishing up folding the laundry. Once that's done and I've put it away, I decide I can relax and watch a bit of television. Flipping through the channels, I find they're having a  _Doctor Who_  marathon and decide that's a good choice. I turn it on, lay down on the couch, and start watching.

_'Ooh, the tenth Doctor, my favorite!'_

 I must have fallen asleep at some point during the  _Doctor Who_ marathon, because the next thing I know, I'm being awoken by the sound of the front door opening, meaning Mom and Damien must be home. My hunch is confirmed when my mom walks into the living room, yelling at my brother.

"Damien, you better not track up my floors with mud! Go straight up to the bathroom and take a shower!" She shouts at a muddy eight year old boy as he runs past the living room and up the stairs. She then turns to me. "Hi, Sweetie. How was your day?"

"It was okay, Mom. How was yours?" I reply as she walks over to me, placing a motherly kiss on my forehead.

"It was fine, Sweetie. Thank you for cleaning up. Did you load the dishwasher?"

"Yeah. I also went ahead and folded and put away the laundry and put the dishes away." I smile, handing her the remote to choose what to watch.

"Aw, thank you, Virgie! You didn't have to do that." 

"It was really no problem, Mom." I kiss her cheek and stand up, heading towards the kitchen. "What should we have for dinner?"

"How does pizza sound?" She asks, kicking her feet up on the coffee table. She's honestly like a teenager sometimes, but she's still the best mom I could ask for.

"Sounds perfect. The usual?" I grab the phone, already dialing the number for the local pizza place. She nods just as they pick up. "Hello?.. Yes, I'd like to place an order for a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza, a large bacon and pineapple pizza, and an order of bread sticks... Yes, that's all... Thank you, bye."

Just then, Damien comes running down the stairs and darts past me. I snatch him up mid-run and throw him over my shoulder. He yelps at the sudden movement and starts giggling.

"V, put me down!" I chuckle spinning him around while on my shoulder and drop him into the recliner nearby.

"Hey Punk, no 'hello' for your favorite brother?" I joke, ruffling his wet hair, most likely from the shower Mom yelled at him about.

"You're my only brother, V." He says with an eye roll, before smirking. "Yet, you still manage not to be my favorite."

"Gasp! You wound me, D." I pretend to wipe a tear from under my eye dramatically. Shaking my head in mock shame, I finish with "I guess I get to eat your pizza, since I'm not trying to the place as bestest bother."

"No! Mom, tell him he can't!"

"Sorry, Pal, but my hands are tied." She shrugs, acting nonchalant, but I can see the smile she's trying to hide. Damien's eyes go wide and he lunges at me, clinging to me like a money as I catch him.

"Please don't eat my food, I'm sorry! You're the bestest brother ever!" I laugh, along with Mom, and assure him I won't eat his food. 

Soon, the pizza arrives, Mom pays for it, and we all sit in living room to watch television while we eat. In this family, on takeout nights, we always sit around the television and watch a Disney movie. It seems silly, but we've always done it and it's a great way to bond as a family. We each take tuns choosing the Disney movie we watch, and tonight is Damien's turn to choose.

"What movie are watching tonight, Damien?" Mom asks, taking a bite of her slice of pizza, bacon and pineapple, and picking up the remote to choose a movie to watch.

"Big Hero 6!" He shouts excitedly. I chuckle and Mom puts the movie on.

"Good choice, Bro."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Self deprecating thoughts, cursing, mention of anxiety

_**Chapter 4:** _

Neither Mom norDamien made it through the entire movie. Damien was out about midway through and Mom only lasted about fifteen minutes longer than him. Now, they're cuddled together on the other end of the sofa, with Damien nuzzled into Mom's chest and Mom's arms protectively wrapped around him. It's one of the cutest sights I've seen in a long time, causing a warm feeling to bloom in my chest, where my heart would be.

With a soft smile on my face, I grab my phone, put it on mute, and snap a few pictures of the two. These pictures will definitely go up on my photo wall in my bedroom. My photo wall is, well a wall obviously, that is situated in my bedroom containing all of my happiest memories in picture-form. Whenever I feel sad or anxious, I just have to look at all of the pictures and instantly feel at least a bit better. A vast majority of the pictures are of Damien, Mom, and myself, but a few contain other family members as well, such as my grandparents and a few Aunts and Uncles and cousins. 

I place my phone on the coffee table and stand up to help Mom and Damien up to their bedrooms. I could technically leave them on the couch, but then they wouldn't feel as rested and would most likely be stiff and sore by morning.

I pick up D first, since he's practically on top of Mom. and carry him bridal-style. He stirs a little when I first pick him up, but quickly falls back to sleep with his arms around my neck and face nuzzled into my shoulder. Smiling, I carefully carry him upstairs and into his room, first door to the right. I tuck him in under his covers, blue with little gold stars, and turn on his night light next to his bed, as he is scared of the dark. Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, I close his door and head back down to get Mom.

I find her exactly where I left her on the couch, softly snoring. With a soft, affectionate chuckle, I pick her up bridal style, just as I did with D, and gently carry her up to her room. She, too, wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles close. Once in her room, second door on the left, I gently place her in the bed and cover her with her deep red comforter. She stirs slightly, opening her eyes, and looking up at me.

"Hey, Sweetheart. What's going on?" She asks in a very drowsy voice.

I smile, softly pecking her forehead, and continue tucking her in. "You fell asleep downstairs with D, I was just tucking you in. I already tucked D in."

She smiles, softly patting my cheek affectionately. "You're such a good boy, thank you. I love you, Virgil."

"I love you, too, Mama." With that, she rolls over and falls back asleep with a soft smile on her face. I smile too, and tip-toe out her room, softly closing the door behind me.

Once back in the hall, I head back downstairs to clean up any mess from dinner. Any stress I can help take from Mom is well worth the effort.

 

******************

 

I awaken to the sound of my alarm clock blaring obnoxiously right by head. With a groan, I tiredly swat at it until I manage to make the horrific sound stop. 

I'm not exactly a morning person, if you couldn't tell.

After laying in bed for another five minutes, almost falling back to sleep only twice, I finally force myself out of bed. It takes another five minutes to stumble from my bed and into the bathroom to start my morning routine. This consists of a shower, brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and doing my 'signature' eye shadow. I honestly don't think most people would even recognize me without it.

By the time I make it downstairs, I only have a couple minutes to spare before I need to leave if I don't want to be late to school. D is at the table, shoveling cereal into his mouth, and Mom is by the counter, pouring coffee into a travel mug.

"You better hurry, or you'll make us both late, Damien." Mom states as she points a finger at Damien, before turning her finger to me. "And you better eat something, Mister, or I'll tie you to a chair and force you to eat, whether you're late or not."

I throw my hands up in surrender and grab a banana, making a sign as if asking "Are you happy?" Receiving a smile and a nod of approval, I stick the banana in my hoodie pocket and grab my lunch, shoving it into my school bag.

"I have to go, running late. Love you guys!" I say I dart past them, kissing Mom's cheek and ruffling Damien's hair. I can hear a groan and an "I love you, too." as I dart out the door, heading in the direction of Hell. 

Oops, I mean school.

I eat the banana, and listen to  _The Curse of Curves_  by Cute Is What We Aim For, as I walk to school.

 

***************

 

I make it to school with ten minutes to spare, which is just enough time to go to my locker and get to class before the tardy bell rings. Once that bell rings, the halls will flood with students rushing to class before they're late.

Making it to my first class, English, just before the bell rings, I sit in my usual seat, in the back corner, with a sigh. Hopefully today won't be too terrible, since I don't think I can handle much. I hardly got three hours of sleep last night and my anxiety feels a bit higher than usual today.

**_"Well, if you wasn't such a crybaby then maybe you could have slept."_ **

_'How was I supposed to sleep when I would have another nightmare every time I tried?'_

_**"Like I said, you're a crybaby. Only a crybaby would get so upset about a few silly nightmares. You're seventeen years old, for crying out loud!"** _

_'I know I'm weak and pathetic, okay?! I don't need you to remind me.'_

_**"Oh, but who would make sure you never forgot if I wasn't here to remind you, little Virgie?"** _

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a chair being pulled out next to me. Looking to the seat to my right, I see something shocking enough to send me into cardiac arrest. 

There, sitting in the chair usually left empty beside me, is Patton Owens. The happy-go-lucky- ball-of-sunshine-and-happiness Patton Owens. The one-of-four-members-of-the-"cool kids" Patton Owens.  _The Patton Owens._

I'm surprised even more, if at all possible, when I glance around the room to see that there are still plenty of available seats, meaning he  _chose_  to sit by me.  _He chose_  to sit by  _me._

With eyes probably as wide as saucers, I quickly avert my gaze to the desk in front of me before he can catch me staring.

**_"He probably sat there by mistake. It's not like he'd_ want _to sit by you. You're just some loner freak."_**

Before I think something back, I notice movement beside me as Patton turns in my direction. My whole body goes stiff, preparing for the worst. Obviously he couldn't sat by me and want to talk to me for any  _good_  reasons.

"Hiya!" I nearly flinch at his overzealous greeting, and peak out from under my bangs to make sure he's not doing anything that could potentially harm me. The only potential harm I can see is the brightness of his smile to my eyes. "Sorry to bother you, Pal, but I just can't seem to find my gosh darn pen. Do you have a spare pen, I can use?"

**_"You're lucky he hasn't realized it was you who butted into their business yesterday."_ **

"I.. uh.. y-yeah." I quickly dig through my school bag, not wanting to keep him waiting too long. Finally finding a spare pen, I hold it out in his direction without making eye contact. "H-here."

"Well, gee, thanks Kiddo!" His smile brightens, which I didn't even think was possible. "Oh, gollie me, I almost forgot to tell you thank you for helping yesterday!"

**_"Welp, he recognized you. You're screwed."_ **

_'Well, sh**.'_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW- negative thoughts, self deprecation, mention of food, mention of anxiety (please let me know if I missed anything)

**_Chapter 5:_ **

  
"I-I'm sorry! I was just walking by and happened to hear what was happening, but I swear I wasn't eavesdropping or anything! And I totally understand why you guys would be freaked out, but I promise I won't bother you or anyth-" 

My rambling is cut off by a hand on my shoulder. I wish I could say I didn't flinch at the touch, but that'd be a lie. I did flinch, along with instinctively holding my arms up in front of my face protectively. Upon seeing my response, Patton quickly retracts his hand with a look of.. concern?

**_"Concern? More like pity or fear. Who could care enough to worry about  you?"_ **

"Whoa, easy there, Kiddo. You were rambling and starting to hyperventilate. you okay?" Patton looks like he wants to place his hand back on my shoulder, but refrains from doing so, luckily. "Now, why are you apologizing?"

"B-because... because I was being nosy and bothersome yesterday?" I comes out more of a question than a statement.

"Well, what in San-heck gave you that idea?" I won't tell him the answer is ninety-eight percent of the voices in my life, including the one inside my head. "You helped Thomas, Kiddo. Who knows how bad he could have gotten without your help? None of had any idea what to do."

Before I have a chance to respond, the teacher enters the room and class begins.

 

**************

 

"Hey, Kiddo, wait up!" 

I hear the shout. 

I know the voice belongs to Patton.

I also know he couldn't possibly be talking to me, so I just keep walking with my head down to avoid attention from anyone in the hall. I rushed from the classroom as soon as the bell rang to signal the end of class, not wanting to be late to my next class.

**_"You have five minutes and your next class is, like, two halls away. Just face it, your trying to avoid that happy-go-lucky ball of sunshine."_ **

_His name is Patton. And I'm not trying to avoid him, I'm just being... studious? Yeah, studious._

**_"Whatever helps you feel better."_ **

_Whate-_

My reply is cut short by a hand on my shoulder. Followed by said hand turning my body to face the owner of the hand, not unkindly. The owner just happens to be Patton.

"Whoa, what's the rush, Kiddo?" He's breathing kind of heavy, like he just jogged to catch me. "Didn't you hear me callin' after ya?"

I turn around to look behind me, just to make sure he's not talking to someone standing behind me. Coming up empty, I face him again. "O-oh... um... I-I thought you were calling after s-someone else."

"No, silly, I was calling after  _you_." He seems to have finally caught his breath and is now standing there with his signature megawatt smile. "I wanted to ask you something."

**_"He probably wants to ask you to leave him and his friends alone."_ **

"W-what is it?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to sit with me at lunch? It'd give all of us a chance to thank you for helping. Thomas has been talking about how he wants to properly thank the person that helped him." He's practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, vibrating like a sugar-loaded toddler. "Wait.. I just realized I've never really seen you in the cafeteria."

**_"Don't tell him. He'll think you're a freak."_ **

"I-I... um.. d-don't usually eat in th-there.." I wish I could just talk to people without any nervous stuttering. 

"Oh, well where  _do_  you eat, Kiddo?" 

_Why does he keep calling me that?_

"Um... th-the outside patio." 

**_"Just tell him you're a loser freak with no friends, why don't cha?"_ **

_Shut up._

**_"Ooh, someone's feeling a bit sassy today."_ **

_Can't you just le-_

" _We have an outside patio?!_ " Patton's near screech startles me out of my thoughts, nearly giving me a heart attack.

 _I have_ got _to stop zoning out like that._

"Um.. Y-yeah. It's just outside of the cafeteria doors, in the yard."

"Oh! Oh! Oh, please say I can eat out there with you! Pretty please with a cherry on top?" Patton attacks me with one of the best sets of puppy dog eyes I have ever seen. They could give Damion's a run for their money, and I swear I can see a literal sparkle, as if he was some kind of Anime character. "I just so love the outdoors, and it's just such a lovely day today!"

Patton, at five feet and eight inches tall, with big, brown eyes and freckles along his slightly chubby cheeks, is easily one of the cutest people in existence. You'd have to be some kind of heartless monster to deny him and his puppy dog eyes.

"S-sure. There's plenty of room at the table, since it's just me out there."

"Yay! Thank you so much!" Bouncing on his feet and clapping his hands, Patton's excitement is almost enough to make me smile. Almost. "Wait.. why do you sit out there all alone, Kiddo?"

_Uh, oh._

_**"Lie."** _

"W-well... Um.. Crowds make me feel a-anxious?" It sounds more like a question than a statement, but it's not a lie, just not the total truth.

"Aw, you poor, anxious baby!"

**_"What?"_ **

_What?_

"Well, I better get to class before the bell, and so should you."

With that, Patton smiles and skips off down the hall, presumably to his next class, leaving me standing confused in the hallway.

**_"That guy is definitely a nutter."_ **

_Hey! Don't talk about him like that!_

_**"Protective of the crazy puff ball already? How cute."** _

_Shut up, would you?_

With a sigh, I fix my bag on my shoulder and head in the direction of my next class.

 

*************

 

I flop down at my usual table outside with a sigh. It's finally lunch time, it's been an exhausting day so far, and I'm starving.

_Maybe I should have eaten more than just a banana this morning.._

Inside my lunch bag, I find my usual - a peanut butter and Crofter's Jam sandwich, a bottle of water, and a fruit. Today, the fruit is a pear. 

_Not my favorite, but not my least favorite._

Before I can even unwrap my sandwich, however, I'm startled by someone plopping down in the seat to my left. That person is followed by another person sitting in the seat to my right and two more people across from me. I'm happy to say I only hesitated a moment before looking up. I can also proudly say my mouth remained closed, although my eyes did indeed widen, probably rivaling the size of saucers. My surprise, you see, is caused by the four people who decided to sit with me. 

Here, sitting at the table with me, the loser freak, is none other than the four people known as "The Cool Kids".


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: cussing
> 
> A/N: I stated previously that Virgil has light brown hair with purple streaks, but I have changed it to black hair with dark purple tips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: cussing
> 
> A/N: I stated previously that Virgil has light brown hair with purple streaks, but I have changed it to black hair with dark purple tips.

 

**_Chapter 6:_ **

 

"Is he alright?"

"He's been staring into space for a solid five minutes."

"Hey, Kiddo? You good?" It's Patton's hand in front of my face that snaps me out of my shock. 

**_"Way to go Virgil. Five minutes in and you've already made a fool of yourself. That's a new record for you."_ **

"Oh, y-yeah, I'm fine. Y-You just surprised me, is all." That  _damn_  stutter of mine.

"You said it was fine that we sat here. Did you forget?" With his head tilted and eyebrows furrowed like that, he looks a lot like a confused puppy. 

"N-no I didn't forget, I just didn't think you really meant it..." I can feel my face flush from embarrassment as I stare down at the table. 

"Why would you think that, Kiddo?" I just shrug without looking up from the table top. No answer is better than the truth. "Well, we're here now, so introductions!"

"This is Roman Shield. He's the Quarter back of our football team and head of the Drama Club." Patton was the one that sat to my right, with Roman sitting to my left.

Roman has dirty brown hair, styled into a quiff. He has hazel eyes, golden when the light hits them just right, and a strong jawline. You could probably cut your finger on it, it's so sharp. He is fairly tall with lots of muscle, likely from football and acting, and broad shoulders. He's wearing his usual red and gold jersey with a red shirt, with a gold crown on the front, and blue jeans and red converse. 

**_"Paying pretty close attention to that one, aren't you?"_ **

Hopefully, no one notices my blush.

"Hola, Claro Caballero." Roman addresses me with a bow, and if I'm not mistaken, he just called me a "fair knight". My blush is definitely noticeable now.

"That's Thomas Sanders. He's also in the Drama club, with Roman." Thomas is sitting across from Roman, so I guess Patton is going in a circle around the group. 

"Hey." Thomas just does a simple wave. He has light brown hair and dark brown eyes. He's not as muscular as Roman, but he's not scrawny either. He has on a red t-shirts with a gold star on the front, faded jeans, a plain gray hoodie, and black converse.

"And this is Logan Wittman. He knows pretty much everything and is in almost every club. He's so smart." Patton gestures in Logan's direction, next to Thomas and across from himself.

Logan has dark brown hair, like chocolate, styled neatly and deep blue eyes. He has on his usual black thick-framed glasses and tie. Today his tie is dark blue, highlighting his eyes and contrasting nicely with his black button down shirt. He's also wearing khaki pants and black dress shoes.

"Salutations." He's a bit stiff and formal, but it contrasts nicely with the rest of their group. "You have already been acquainted with Patton, so his introduction is not necessary. However, we might as well tell you of his interests. He is in the chess club with myself and is the captain of the cheer squad."

I nearly jump out of my skin at the loud and excited squeal from the ball of sunshine next to me. When I look at Patton, he has his hands over his mouth and is wiggling like an excited puppy.

"Aw, Lo Lo! You did my introduction!" 

**_"Well, he's certainly an excitable one.."_ **

"Anyway, I would like all of you to meet our new friend." Patton gestures to me, drawing everyone else's attention to me. "This is.. huh, I never actually caught you name, Kiddo. My bad." 

**_"You can tell them your name and get laughed at or you can avoid it appear even freakier. It's up to you."_ **

I feel my face flush hotly. Clearing my throat, I look down to hide further behind my bangs and softly mumble, "M-my name is Virgil Underwood."

"Pardon?" Roman asks. I guess I need to be a bit louder.

"M-my name is Virgil Underwood." I start picking at the skin around my fingers nervously. 

"Vir-gil?.. It's diffeent." At least Roman didn't downright say he hated it..

"Well, I think it's swell! I don't know any other Virgils!"

"I agree with Pat, it is quite unique and interesting." Logan fixes his glasses as he states this.

"Yeah, I like it. Don't you, Roman?" Thomas looks over at Roman as he asks him.

"What? Of course I do, was I not clear about that?" I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders as I hear this. "So, Emo King, are you in any clubs or anything?"

He pops a grape into his mouth as he asks this, while everyone else begins eating while waiting for my answer. I hesitantly take a bite of my sandwich before answering.

"Uh.. I-I'm in band and the Art club." I take a sip of my water to calm my nerves.

"Ooh, really? What instruments do you pay?" Patton looks more excited than Damion when we went to Disney Land.

"All of them?" I can feel my nervousness fading slightly, which is strange. I only ever feel truly comfortable around Mom and De. That nervousness immediately comes back, however, when I notice the shocked looks on their faces. "D-did I say something wrong?.."

"All of them? As in you play all of the instruments?" Roman asks, mouth still agape. He looks a bit excited, though.

"Y-yeah? Why?"

"How do you know how to play that many instruments?" Thomas looks about as excited as Roman.

"I-I really like music and I have a lot of free-time. I've been playing different instruments since I was, like, three."

"You must be some kind of musical prodigy!" Roman pretends to swoon, causing my blush to return full-force. Just my luck. I attempt to hide my blush by taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Hey, Kiddo, that sandwich looks good, what is it?" Patton asks, taking a bite of his own food, which looks like some kind of pasta.

"It's peanut butter and Crofter's." I jump when I hear a clang. Looking across the table, I realize Logan has dropped his fork in surprise. "Um.. L-Logan?"

"You like Crofter's?!" I nearly fall out of my seat when Logan shouts.

"Y-yeah.. I-it's my f-favorite jelly.." I mentally curse myself for squeaking mid-sentence in fear.

"Lo, Honey, you're scaring him." Patton softly scolds him. This causes Logan's face to redden. He fixes his tie and clears his throat.

"My apologies, Virgil. I was merely excited by the fact of you enjoying Crofter's, for I too enjoy the Jam."

"Well, you certainly  _jammed_ a lot of noise into that sentence." I slap a hand over my mouth, realizing what I just said,  _a dad joke._ My embarrassment is shot lived, though, when Patton cracks up laughing. His laughing is followed by a groan from Logan and snickers from Thomas and Roman.

"Oh, my goodness! That was a good one, Virgil!" Patton throws his am around my shoulders, still laughing about the joke. "I think you'll fit in just fine with us."

I can't help but smile a little bit at this. Especially when the others nod along with Patton's statement.

"Oh, oh, oh! I just had the best idea ever!" He's back in his seat, bouncing like an excited puppy. "We should have a sleepover to commemorate our new friendship!"

"Certainly, Padre!" Roman agrees with Patton. "But, sadly not at my castle, for my mother is repainting the walls."

"And my parents are out of town and said no fiends over." Thomas chimes in.

"Tonight is my Mother's annual work dinner, so I will be unable to host the sleepover at my home." Logan pitches in, picking his fork up and taking a bite of his salad.

"Aw, but we can't have it at mine. We're fostering some skittish baby bids and they need quiet." Patton pout, looking like a kicked puppy. 

**_"I know what you're thinking and it's a terrible idea."_ **

_But he looks so sad._

_**"Be strong."** _

"I-I can.." 

**_"Weakling."_ **

"Oh, my goodness, really?!" I'll most likely regret it later, but the excitement and happiness in Patton's eyes is worth it.

"Y-yeah?.. But I'll have to ask my mom to make sure it's okay." I pick at my fingers nervously under the table.

"Of course! Ooh, I hope she says yes!"

With shaky hands, I pull out my phone to text my Mom.

 

_To Mom:_

_hey, can i have some people over tonight? they wanna spend the night_

 

I feel my phone vibrate with a reply almost instantly. She's fast.

 

_From Mom:_

_Of course! My baby is finally making some friends!_

 

I'm not sure if I'm more excited or nervous. I've never had a sleepover, except with my cousins.

"Sh-she said 'yes'." 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Self deprication, self doubt, (Let me know if I missed anything)

_****Chapter 7:** ** _

 

We agreed to meet at the front of the school at the end of the day, which is why I'm currently standing on the front steps. I'm a good ten minutes early, but I didn't want to risk being late and having them wait on me. As soon as the last bell rang, I rushed from the school without stopping at my locker, so I'm bringing home my books from my last class. I don't have to worry about homework since I did all of it two weeks early. I'm not a nerd, I just want to risk something happening and having the homework be late, my anxiety can't handle that.

"You been waiting long?" Patton's voice nearly causes me to jump out of my skin in surprise. "Oops, sorry, Kiddo. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, um, n-no, I haven't been waiting long." It's not a lie because ten minutes isn't that long.. right?

Logan, Roman, and Thomas come up behind Patton, walking together with Thomas laughing at something Roman said and Logan rolling his eyes.

"Are we adequate to depart?" Logan asks the group, adjusting his satchel on his shoulder. The others nod and look to me for direction.

"Um, Roman drove a car to school right?"

"Yep. I was thinking I could drive each of us to our houses to get our things and then go to your house, Virgil?" I nod in response to Roman's idea, and the others soon also agree. "Great, then lets go."

 

********************* **

 

We stopped at Logan's house first since it was the closest to the school, then Roman's house. We were waiting in the car for about ten minutes, which I didn't understand until Roman came out of his house with two duffel bags full and a smaller bag which appeared to contain makeup and other toiletries.

Next was Thomas' house, which really didn't take long and he only packed a reasonable amount of stuff, much like Logan. Patton took a little longer than Thomas, not as long as Roman though, but he came out with cookies from his mom, so he was easily forgiven. Once Patton was back in the car, Roman looked back at me expectantly through the rear view mirror. Patton is in the passenger seat, with Logan behind the driver's seat, me in the middle, and Thomas behind the passenger seat. 

It only takes a few minutes to get to my house from Patton's. The whole time I'm giving Roman directions, my mouth is watering from the delicious smell of the chocolate chip cookies in Patton's lap. Luckily, I'm not the only one practically drooling over the cookies. I can see Roman sneaking glances every so often over at the cookie and Thomas has been slowly inching closer and closer to Patton's seat ever since we started driving. Logan is tying to act unaffected by the smell, but I can still see him sniffing a little harder to smell the delicious chocolaty goodness. Even Patton looks like he can barely contain himself.Finally, we reach my house and can be relieved of the chocolaty torture.

My mom's car is in the driveway, meaning she and Damion must be home early. Once everyone has caught up to me at the front door, I open it up and welcome them in. On the outside I look cal and collected, but on the inside I'm a bundle of nerves and anxiety. This is the first time I've brought someone from school to my house.

****_"I told you not to, but noooo you never want to listen to me. Now they're just going to laugh at you and spread more rumors about you at school."_ ** **

_'Shut up, would you? I thought you'd finally left me alone.'_

****_"Of course not, Virgie. I'm here to stay."_ ** **

"Vee!!!" I'm nearly knocked to the ground by a blur of yellow. If I wasn't used to Damion, then I probably would have fallen, but I am so I didn't.

"Dee!" I yell back as I pick him up and throw him over my shoulder, chuckling. "What's up, Buddy? Have a good day at school?"

"Ahh, Vee, put me down!" Instead of doing as he says, I start to spin him, causing him to giggle. I don't want to make him sick, so after a few spins I drop him on the couch. Before he can get up, I sit on him, but don't put all of my weight on him, and repeat my earlier questions. "I'm good and school was boring as usual. Now, get off me, you're fat!"

"How dare you?!" I dramatically gasp and place a hand over my heart. "Now, you've done it!"

Dee has enough time for his eyes to widen before I start tickling him. Our tickle fight, however, is interrupted by a squeal by the door.

"Awww!!" Patton's squeal could break the sound barrier, but it does remind me of their presence, causing me to jump up blushing brightly. "That was just so gosh darn cute!"

"So, the dark and mysterious emo has a soft side." Roman's comment only makes me blush brighter.

"So, Virgil, who is this adorable little kiddo?" Patton, smiling as big as usual, kneels down in front of Damion. Damion is almost as shy as I am and hides behind my legs when he sees the others, peaking out a bit from his hiding place.. "Aw, don't be scared, Kiddo."

"Th-this is my little brother, Damion. He's kinda shy."

"Sounds like he takes after his big brother." Thomas' comment causes the others to laugh, not in a mean way like I'm used to, and makes my face heat up.

"Hun, what's all the ruckus out here?" Mom asks as she walks out of the kitchen, wiping he hands on the apron tied around her waist.

"Hi Mom, these are my friends." I tell her as I give her a hug and kiss her cheek. Then, I point each person respectively, "This is Patton, Logan, Roman, and Thomas. Guys, this is my Mom, Mary Underwood."

"Hiya, Ma'am.  I'm Patton, but I guess you already know that, huh?" He giggles to himself. "Anyway, thank you for allowing us over to your lovely home."

"Hello, Patton, lovely to meet you.  You guys are welcome here any time. Now, I only have one question for you." The serious look on Mom's face must be scary because  Patton looks about ready to run. :Are you a hugger? Because you look like a hugger, and I'm definitely a hugger."

Patton smiles brightly and holds his arms out wide, which Mom accepts as permission to hug him. Once they break apart , Mom turns to the others.

"Greetings, Madame!" Roman dramatically bows to my mom and kisses her hand. "I am Roman Shield, at your service. And may I say, you are far too young to be a mother of two, sure you're not their sister?"

"Well, well, well, aren't you quite the charmer. Too bad I'm immune to charm." Roman's proud smile quickly turns into an embarrassed blush, causing the rest of their group to laugh, including Logan. "And enough of that formal stuff, please, call me Mary." Mom then turns to me, "Virgil, will you please help me with dinner once you show you friends where they can put their things?"

"Yes, Mom. Th-this way guys." They follow me up the stairs with their things. The closer we get to my bedroom door, the quicker my heart races. I've never had someone outside my family in my room, so to say I'm nervous would be an understatement. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves a bit once we reach my door and slowly turn the knob, allowing us to enter.

My room is bigger than the average bedroom. If you're standing in the doorway, My bed is on the far right side of the room with the head against he wall. My bed frame is an old style black metal one, with purple sheets and pillows, and a black comforter with purple plaid patches, much like my jacket. There is a black bedside table on either side of the bed, the right one holding a black lamp. In the far right corner is a mini living room-type setting, with a couch, love seat, and flat screen television mounted across from the couch. The couch and love seat are black leather with throw-pillows of various shades of purple. In the near left corner is a door, leading to my mini walk-in closet. I'd say how I could afford such a room, but I'd rather not explain that right now.

Upon closer inspection of my room, I realize I left my cat plushy on my bed. Patton has already run over and picket it up before I have time to hide it.

"Aw, what a cute plushy! Is she yours?" I want to lie, but Sally has been my best friend since I was born. I know it doesn't make sense, but lying would feel like betraying her. She was there for me when no one else was, through the toughest points in my life.

"Um.. Y-yeah.." I awkwardly rub the back of my neck, looking down at the ground.

****_"Good going, Virgie. Now, they can add baby to the list, right under freak and loser."_ ** **

Hearing the voice confirm my exact thoughts only succeeds in increasing my already rising panic and embarrassment. I continue to stare at the floor, waiting for their laughter, and feeling heat rising to my face. I have never been more grateful for the pale foundation I apply to my face every morning, especially when I hear someone snicker. I look up when the snicker turns into a yelp of pain, and see Roman rubbing his side with a pout while glaring at Patton, who must have elbowed him.

"Ow, Pat! What was that for?" Patton just ignores him, instead sitting Sally back on my bed and turning to me with a smile.

"So, where can we put our stuff, Kiddo?" I blink twice before pointing to an empty corner in my room and they move to set their stuff where I pointed.

"W-" I clear my throat, "well I'm gonna go help my mom with dinner now. Y-you, um, can just come down after you're done if you want."

"Sure thing, Kiddo!"

I pause for a moment before leaving my room and going down the stairs to the kitchen, where I find my mom leaning over something sizzling in a skillet, looking confused. It smells.. different, whatever it is, and I lean over her shoulder to peak into the skillet. I'll just say it smells way better than it looks.

"Um.. Mom?"

"Yeah, Virge?"

"What is..  _that_?" I point at the thing in the skillet, slightly concerned if it'll attack me.

"Well... It was supposed to be something called Paella, but I think I did something wrong.."

"Is it supposed to look like that?" I wrinkle my nose when a bubble swells up and pops.

"A coworker brought some in for lunch and let me try it. I loved it, so she gave me the recipe. But, hers didn't look like that.." She wrinkles her nose as another bubble appears, then sighs and scrapes the food into the trash before running water over the skillet in the sink. "Hey, Virge, do you mind-"

"Calling for a pizza? Way ahead of you." I chuckle when she smiles gratefully at me, then head upstairs already dialing the number for the pizza place. I press the call button just as I reach my room. "Um, what kind of pizza do you guys want? Dinner kind of.. went downhill."

I could swear they all sigh in relief at the news, they must have smelled the disaster, but were just to polite to say anything.

"Pepperoni is fine." Thomas tells me with a smile. I nod just as the pizza place answers the phone.

"Hey, Joey.. Yeah, mom tried cooking something new again." I chuckle at him knowing us so well. "I thought it was gonna bite me this time!" He laughs along with me. "Yep, our usual order, but add two large pepperoni... Yeah, adding another order of garlic bread sticks is a good idea." I roll my eyes at his reply, "No, I am not planning on eating a whole pizza by myself... That was one time! And you dared me to!" I laugh as he starts laughing. "Whatever, old man, just make the pizza... about an hour? Okay, sounds good, see you then."

I hang up and turn back to the group to see each with a differing look of confusion and shock.

"The food tried to  _bite_  you?!" Logan.

"Who is Joey?" Patton.

"Did you really eat a whole pizza by yourself?" Thomas.

"N-Not literally, Logan, it just looked like it was alive. Joey is the owner and chef at Joey's Pizza. We always get our pizza there, so he kinda knows us pretty well. And no, I-I ate two whole pizzas."

 _"Two?!"_  Patton looks like he might burst from excitement.

****_"Add fat to the list."_ ** **

"Y-Yeah.. I kind of regretted it for a while, though." I'm blushing under my make-up, and decide to change the subject. "D-do you guys want to watch a movie until the pizzas get here? It's my night to choose, but I'll let you pick."

"Have any Disney?" Roman asks, although his expression says he does expect me to have anything Disney at all. I just walk over to the cupboard thing in my room and open it to reveal my Disney collection of every Disney movie ever made. I hide my smirk behind my head when I see the shock on Roman's face.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8:**

"Roman, just pick something already!" Logan sounds completely exasperated. It's been ten minutes since I revealed my Disney stash, and Roman is still yet to decide. I can see everyone, except maybe Patton, starting to show their loss of patience, especially Logan.

"Um, Guys-" I get cut off before I can even begin.

"Well, I'm  _sorry_ , Logan. This is a very hard decision." 

"Um-" Once again, I'm spoken over, but I don't blame them, I'm not exactly very noticeable.

"It is a  _movie_. Not a marriage proposal!" Roman looks as though he is about to retaliate when Patton steps in.

"Guys! Why don't we each pick a movie, and we'll each have a favorite to watch. Everyone is happy!" He never loses his smile, but his tone of voice is final, very dad-like.

"Great idea, Pat!" Thomas agrees immediately, probably happy to have the arguing over with. He's the first one to go over to the movies. "Hey, Virgil? Do you have anything besides Disney? Not that I don't love me some good ol' Disney, but more options would  be nice."

"Y-yeah," I say as I walk over to the other cabinet on the other side of the tv. "They're right here."

They're probably wondering why one guy needs so many movies, and think I'm weird. I've just always went to movies when I was feeling down. They made me feel a little less lonely in my loneliest moments. When my world sucked, I could escape into other worlds, and that habit just never left me. I'm about to get lost in my thoughts, sitting on my bed as they dig through the movies, when I hear a gasp. I immediately think the worst possible thing, looking around for the danger. However, I don't see any danger, only Thomas holding up my copy of  _Heathers_. I forgot about my collection of musicals... 

**_"Now they can laugh at you for being such sissy loser, Virgie."_ **

My attention wasn't the only one captured by the gasp, for now the rest of the group are looking at Thomas to see what happened. 

"Oh. My. God!" Roman looks more excited than Thomas, if that's even possible, and rushes over to look at the rest of the musicals in my collection. "You have musicals?!"

"Um, y-yeah... I know it's kinda silly and girly..." I'm so glad I wear foundation, otherwise I'd probably look like a tomato.

**_"Your blush is the least of your worries, Virgie. Now, they can see how much of a faggot you are~"_ **

_Stop using that word._

**" _Look who's feeling tough~"_**

"No, Kiddo, not at all. We  _love_  musicals and theater. In fact, we all have some part in the theater program at school!" My eyes widen at hearing Patton say this. 

"Really?" 

"Yep! Roman and Thomas are actors, Logan is part of the tech crew, and I help with the sets and costumes!" Patton is smiling so brightly while saying this, it causes the corners of my own lips to twitch upwards. His smile changes into a pout, "Although, I'm not allowed to use power tools..."

"That is because you nearly cut off your  _entire_   _hand_  the last time you attempted to use a power saw." Logan looks as though he's had this conversation with Patton many times. Thomas interjects before an argument can start.

"You forgot about the ghost, Pat." Thomas' voice is a conspiratorial whisper. The little smile on my face is completely gone, now.

"Oh, yeah! They always come after everyone goes home and help with the sets and costumes!" I can feel the color completely drain from my face, to the point I probably don't even need the foundation at the moment. "They're really good, too!"

"I have to agree with Padre here, they do possess some impressive skills with clothing and set designs." Roman adds in, without looking up from the two movies in his hands, which appear to be a Disney movie and a musical.

"Nonsense. Ghosts do not exist, it is likely just a student working on sets and clothing alone after everyone leaves." Logan's addition to the conversation only causes my face to pale more.

"Do you always have to take the fun and mystery out of everything, Microsoft Nerd?"

"Now, Roman, that's not very nice. You know Lo-Lo just prefers to believe things he can prove scientifically, and that is just fine." Patton's dad-voice has returned. Roman pouts, but doesn't argue back. Instead, he looks back down at the movies in his hands, trying to pick one.

**_Ding Dong_ **

"Boys, the pizzas are here!" Mom yells from downstairs.

"Pizza!" Damian yells as he runs from his room down the hall. I can't help but chuckle as I see him zoom past my room.

"We better head down before D eats it all." I tell the others. Patton's eyes widen dramatically as he whispers 'no' before rushing down the stairs after Damian, followed by Thomas looking equally scared at the possibility of the pizza being all gone before he can eat any. Roman and Logan chuckle to themselves and follow their friends out the door. Logan, however, stops in my doorway and turns back to me.

"Are you coming along, Virgil?" I snap out of my mind and smile a little, nodding and following Logan and the others down the stairs.

Walking into the living room, I find Damien, Mom, and Roman sitting on the couch, Thomas and Logan on the love-seat, and Patton is sitting in the recliner, all already eating. I just walk in and sit criss-cross on the coffee table grabbing a slice of pizza. Just as I'm about to take a bite of my slice of  pizza, I pause, the slice frozen mid-air in front of my mouth, because I notice all the eyes on me.

"Um.. can I help you guys?" I ask the four teens staring at me, all looking confused, and slowly lower the pizza from my mouth.

"Well, Kiddo, we were just wondering why you're sitting on the table... instead of the couch?"

My response is cut off by my mom and Damien laughing. "Here we go again."

This only confuses the group even more, and causes me to blush. If you can't tell, I get asked this question a lot and Mom and Damien already know what my response will likely be. 

"I usually sit on a surface that isn't meant to be sat on, because when tomorrow comes, I will be faced with even more challenges. And I am too overwhelmed to be worrying about what 'is' and 'is not' a "chair." There is a long pause after I say this, in which Mom and D start cracking up at the faces of the group.

"I  _was_  feeling good today, man..."


End file.
